Fauna

About 17,000 species of invertebrate have been identified in Armenia but this must only represent a small fraction of the total. Two groups may be of particular interest to visitors but for very different reasons. Armenia has three species of scorpion which fortunately are rarely encountered. That said, they occur on the rocky and stony ground such as that which surrounds many monasteries and form an additional reason to wear robust footwear as well as taking care when scrambling up slopes.

Far more conspicuous is the abundance of butterflies. About 570 species of lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) have been identified in Armenia but that is clearly only a small percentage of the total since it compares with a figure of 2,600 for the UK which, although larger, has a much less suitable climate. A well-illustrated guide to the butterflies of the whole of the former Soviet Union including Armenia (Guide to the Butterflies of Russia and Adjacent Territories) is available - it was published in Sofia, Bulgaria, and is obtainable from specialist booksellers worldwide - but unfortunately its two enormous heavy volumes make it difficult even to take to Armenia let alone carry around.

More portable is A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Turkey published in 2007. Obviously it does not cover Armenia specifically but there is enough overlap to make it more useful than no guide at all.

The American University of Armenia, which published A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia, promises a field guide to the butterflies of Armenia - planned publication date 2012.

If you have any questions about travel to Armenia (visa, hotels, guide services, transportation), please feel free to contact us at any time and we will gladly answer your questions.